August 23, 2007

Quick Hits - They Say That Ginning Up Is Hard to Do

Now I know, I know it's untrue -- if you're in the elite media, that is; if so, then ginning up a controversy, contradiction, confession, corruption, or calamity is as easy as π, no matter how irrational it may seem to ordinary, non-journalist humans.

Our reading material for today's lesson is the short article sent out over the wire (well, over the internets, anyway) about newly hatched Secretary of the Army Pete Geren's insistance that the Pentagon is not going to extend tours of duty in Iraq from 15 months to 18.

I don't know if this is good or bad; Geren has the figures in front of him and I don't. But what caught my eye like an errant fishhook (yes, I know... "eew") was this little attempt at legerdemain... transforming two completely unrelated statements into a "contradiction gotcha":

Asked about comparisons between the current Iraq conflict and the Vietnam War -- a parallel that President Bush drew Wednesday -- Geren said the current conflict is unique.

In a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention, Bush linked the U.S. pullout from Vietnam to the rise of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, and he said the history of U.S. conflicts in Asia have shown that critics of the day are often wrong and that withdrawing from war should never be done for short-term gain.

While saying that "historical analogies help illuminate the present" Geren said the Army "can't be guilty of fighting the last war." The Army, he said, has to consider the unique circumstances of the Iraq conflict and train and equip the soldiers and leaders accordingly.

Oooh, snap! Caught the Bush administration red-fisted in a whipsaw of a contradiction...

On the one hand, Bush says that Vietnam taught us that withdrawing in unnecessary defeat leads to terrible consequences;

But when the shoe is on the other hand, Secretary Geren says that our soldiers should use different tactics and equipment fighting terrorists in the Iraqi desert than they used fighting Communists in the jungles of vietnam 40 years ago -- completely the opposite of what Bush said!

"John says Mary is too short, but Mary insists the dress is blue, not red. How do you reconcile those two statements... 'Berto?"

We've seen this moonbattery before, of course: The "contradiction" between FBI Director Robert Mueller quoting Deputy Attorney General James Comey saying the Justice Department had trouble with the legality of a classified intelligence-gathering program that had been much talked about -- and current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales saying that the objection was not to the specific element called the Terrorist Surveilance Program, but to a different intelligence-gathering program.

Perjury, obstruction, contempt! Five Democrats sent a referral to the Justice Department, demanding an indictment and investigation -- in that order, I believe -- of Gonzales... but not of Mueller, oddly enough. A couple of days later, when sources came forward to confirm that all three men told the truth (the objection was to the data-mining element, not the TSP), the Democrats quietly dropped the substance of the charge and began rummaging around for a brand new cause of action:

"Well there's yer problem right there... ya got a malfunctioning cause of action; have to remove and replace it with a spanking-new one from the factory!"

Here are some more "contradictions" -- tomorrow's AP stories today!

Under intense cross-examination, President Bush finally admited that Saddam Hussein did not plan and execute the September 11th attacks; but then, amazingly, Bush turned around and claimed that al-Qaeda operatives did meet with Iraqi Intelligence Service officers to discuss operational cooperation.

Although the president has said that FEMA did everything it reasonably could have or should have done before and after Hurricane Katrina, several of his own fellow travelers in the GOP have instead argued that Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and the Grand Nagus, mayor of Nawluns, failed to evacuate people quickly enough.

President Bush has praised the all-volunteer American Army; but apparently, he doesn't like it enough to send his twin daughters into military service.

Evidently, our fine president, like Mr. Whitman, is large and contains multitudes.

Hatched by Dafydd on this day, August 23, 2007, at the time of 3:58 PM

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Comments

The following hissed in response by: Big D

Bush hatred combined with basic stupidity is a powerful elixir, transforming the most erudite journalist Jekyll into a harebrained Hyde seemingly in an instant.

But I suppose this error makes sense, since liberals have never accepted any responsibility for the millions of dead Cambodians and Vietnamese that resulted directly from our withdrawal. No blood on their hands, no sir. The world must be so trying and confusing for liberal at times. If we caused all the problems in Vietnam, wouldn't our leaving solve all the problems? What's that? Killing fields? Details, details...

Denial is somewhere in de-Africa, right?

The above hissed in response by: Big D at August 23, 2007 5:03 PM

The following hissed in response by: Fritz

What I find the worst is that many people accept such arguments. It is as if there is a complete loss of logical thinking among much of the population. The news media is merely a reflection of that loss. If the people would start to think logically, then the news media would have to write their stories the same way.
As for how to deal with such people, if you don't mind having them hate you, laugh at them while pointing out the lack of logic in their arguments. They tend to become incoherent when you do. Be prepared to be called names because that is all they will be able to do. Then, as a parting shot, tell them you pity them for their lack of reasoning ability. I flat promise you they will hate you, but at least most of them will normally leave you alone. Be very wary of those who don't. They can be dangerous.

The above hissed in response by: Fritz at August 23, 2007 7:42 PM

The following hissed in response by: Terrye

Fritz:

I know what you mean. It is as if the whole concept of things making sense has just gone by the wayside. Anything goes. There is no cohesive to the debate anymore.

It is like listening to teenagers.

The above hissed in response by: Terrye at August 23, 2007 8:13 PM

The following hissed in response by: BarbaraS

I get so sick of that left mantra
Bush didn't send his daughters to war. I've got news for them. I couldn't get my teenagers and young adults to do ANYTHING I told them to do. How does the left think Bush has any more control over his kids than I do. These are people with minds of their own and they will do what they want not what other people think they should do. And the same goes for Romney's sons.

The above hissed in response by: BarbaraS at August 24, 2007 8:51 AM

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